Save our NW Seattle neighborhood centers
The Seattle City Council
We support a more affordable, inclusive, and sustainable Seattle
The housing crisis is real. It is estimated that an additional 112,000 homes will be needed in Seattle by the year 2044, and the current rates of building will not get us to the goal.
State law requires the City of Seattle to develop a new growth strategy, also known as the Comprehensive Plan or One Seattle Plan. The Comprehensive Plan is a roadmap for where and how our city will grow and invest in our communities over the next 20 years and beyond.
The current proposal includes 30 Neighborhood Centers, where additional density would be allowed. These Neighborhood Centers are located in areas with shops and amenities and would allow more people to live close to their daily needs and jobs. The diversity of housing types would make these centers more affordable for the average Seattleite.
Out of these 30, 7 Neighborhood Centers are located in NW Seattle (Council District 6): Magnolia Village, North Magnolia, Phinney Ridge, Tangletown, Upper Fremont, West Greenlake, and Whittier.
Anti-housing activists are lobbying to prevent this needed affordable housing from being planned in our neighborhoods. Your voice is key to fighting back by affirming our commitment to the values of inclusivity, generosity, and altruism. NW Seattle is for all of us.
Sign our petition to let your representative know that you support more and expanded neighborhood centers in North West Seattle (Council District 6).
In addition to signing this petition, please consider sending an email to your councilmembers: Dan.Strauss@seattle.gov, AlexisMercedes.Rinck@seattle.gov, and Sara.Nelson@seattle.gov. Councilmember Dan Strauss represents District D6. Councilmembers Sara Nelson and Alexis Mercedes-Rinck both represent all of Seattle.
Additionally consider attending and speaking at upcoming opportunities for public comment.
The Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan, made up of all 9 Councilmembers, began meeting on Jan. 6, 2025. The committee is expected to cast final votes on the proposed Comprehensive Plan package in May or June 2025.
Council Meetings on the Comprehensive Plan|
Date |
Time |
Subject |
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|
|
|
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January 15 |
2 p.m. |
Growth Strategy Overview & Phase 1 Zoning Preview |
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January 29 |
2 p.m. |
Displacement, Trees, MHA, Sustainability and Environment |
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February 5 |
2 p.m. |
Comprehensive Plan Elements |
|
February 5 |
5 p.m. |
Public Hearing |
Information on how to sign up for public comment can be found here.
Sponsored by
To:
The Seattle City Council
From:
[Your Name]
North West Seattle says Yes to Housing and Yes to People
We, the undersigned, are Seattle residents who are deeply concerned about the future of our NW Seattle neighborhoods. We live here. We work here. We eat and shop here. Our children and pets play here. We use services here. We have deep roots here. These are our neighborhoods.
We express our strong support for the establishment of the seven neighborhood centers proposed in the comprehensive plan . Establishing these centers is crucial for addressing many pressing needs within our community, particularly the urgent need for more housing that is affordable and accessible to all.
As our city continues to grow, so does the necessity for mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods. Creating these centers will not only facilitate the development of new housing options but will also ensure that our communities are inclusive, resilient, and vibrant. Neighborhood centers will play an essential role in keeping middle income earners, from health care workers to firefighters, from teachers to service workers, in our community. They will allow our aging neighbors to stay in their community while providing a space for young families to join us. They will strengthen our local businesses.
By concentrating housing close to essential services, we can promote sustainability and mitigate climate change. When people can live, work, and access amenities within walking distance, we reduce our reliance on cars, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance everyone's quality of life. Building housing in already dense areas requires much less resources than the alternative - forest-consuming suburban sprawl.
We strongly reject the scarcity mindset that often surrounds discussions about housing and claims that we don't have enough amenities to share them. Instead, we advocate for a response rooted in abundance and investments. The comprehensive plan is an opportunity to create neighborhoods that offer enough for everyone and create ample opportunities for current and future residents. It is up to us to seize this opportunity and create what we need.
Most of all, opponents of more neighborhood centers don't offer any tangible solutions to our housing crisis, leaving our community yearning for actionable strategies.
We want a bold vision for Seattle’s future—one that embraces growth, sustainability, and equity. By supporting the proposed neighborhood centers, we can build a city that not only addresses the housing crisis but does so in a manner that respects our environment and fosters thriving communities.
We urge our city council to embrace this bold vision with us. Together, we can create a Seattle that is resilient and affordable for all.